Celebrating the life of Billy Baggett

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Obituary for Billy Baggett

Billy Baggett of Isle of Palms, SC died Tuesday January 23, 2018 at home from heart failure. He was born in Oxford, Mississippi on October 23, 1928, the son of Lee Baggett and Estelle Brown Baggett. He attended Oxford public schools, the University of Mississippi, and Saint Louis University, where he earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1952 under the tutelage of Nobel Laureate, Professor Edward A. Doisy. Billy’s career included research and teaching at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the School of Medicine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Medical University of South Carolina. He retired from MUSC in 2001.

Throughout Billy’s career he mentored graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, medical students, and other health professional students in pharmacology and biochemistry. He particularly enjoyed participating as a tutor in the program of case-based instruction in the basic sciences which was used as an alternative to the more traditional program of lectures at MUSC College of Medicine. Billy’s gift as mentor and teacher carried over into all aspects of his life for all who knew him. His love of learning and living will live on in those he leaves behind.

In his spare time Billy loved the arts, cooking, sailing, reading, playing cribbage with his friends, and spending time with his family. He is survived by his beloved wife, Elvira; five children, Sallie Moore and Mary Lane Baggett of Chapel Hill, NC, William Baggett (Margaret) of Jefferson City, MO, Teresa Baggett of Hanahan, SC, and H. Lane Baggett (Kathy McCleaf) of Staunton, VA; his step-son, Carlos Ortiz (Peggy) of Colorado Springs, CO; two grandsons, two granddaughters, and one great-grandson. He was predeceased by his parents, a sister, Beverly Grey, and a brother, Adm. Lee Baggett.

A Celebration of Life will be held from NOON until 1:30 PM on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at McALISTER-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, MT. PLEASANT. This informal “drop-in” celebration will have music and light hor'dourves.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to any of the following: Planned Parenthood, www.plannedparenthood.org; MUSC Heart and Vascular Center, https://connect2.musc.edu/heart; or Pet Helpers, www.pethelpers.org.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted to www.mcalister-smith.com.